Devon Averett
Origin Devon Averett was the son of doctor Alison Averett of West Mercy Hospital on Gotham City, and detective Henry Averett of Gotham City Police Department. Devon was born into a wealthy and busy family which, growing up, didn't leave much time for them to spend tending to his needs due to the busy lives they lead. His father was a forensic anthropologist but eventually quit his job to become a detective, but the family began to struggle due to the sudden change. They were able to afford a maidservant to care for Devon, while they were away during their busy hours. It had taken a while but eventually, Alison had brought their family out of their struggles when she received her masters and doctoral degree. As a kid, he received many books, and he loved brain teasers, as well as puzzles. Eventually, his nanny had him take up ballet lessons, and martial arts. She insisted it was best he started at a young age so that he would have many opportunities set for him in the future. He and his father often talked about the anatomical science of anthropology, and even his job as a detective. His father often told him of how he worked with Batman. It was true, he often worked with Batman and Commissioner Gordon. He became fascinated with Batman and admired him. During an investigation, Henry was injured badly, being stabbed in the stomach by an assassin, but his attacker had gotten away. Commissioner Gordon rushed him to the hospital and when they arrived, Alison quickly took control of the situation to tend to her husband's injuries. The masked attacker was sent to kill the entire Gotham City Police Department. Devon's maidservant had taken him to the hospital to see his father. Once they arrived, they had to wait in the waiting room. The assassin had gotten into the hospital from roof access, and found his way into Henry's room, where he was being operated on. He murdered the doctors in the room, including Alison, and he lastly killed Henry through the use of his katana. The hospital had on code red. The Commissioner contacted Batman, who arrived a few moments later. When the attacker tried killing James Gordon, he fought him off until Batman had arrived. James witnessed a fight between Batman and the assassin. Once the fight had been on its wraps, the assassin had gotten away. Devon was struck with grief, over his parent's murder. For the rest of his youth, he had been raised by his maidservant. Eventually, he was enrolled in Gotham Academy, but he had continued his gymnastics, ballet, and martial arts classes. Devon had been hellbent on finding his parent's murderer. While he was attending Gotham Academy, he met a boy named Alexander Skye, who also attended gymnastic lessons with him and the two quickly gained a friendship. One evening the pair were coming home from the movie theater when they witnessed a robbery at a local corner store in the city. Devon decided to take matters into his own hands. He and Alexander had snuck into the store, avoiding behind noticed by the two masked robbers. They used blunt weapons to beat the two criminals, and Devon had unarmed one of the robbers, fighting him closely. Hearing the sound of sirens nearing, the two boys fled the scene, leading into an alley nearby. The rush of adrenaline was exciting for the two. Devon convinced Alexander to make what they were doing permanent, and Alexander initially thought it was a crazy idea but he agreed to it. The two of them started to operate as vigilantes in Gotham City. Devon claimed his identity as Whisper, while Alexander identified as Bandit and they spent months following their vigilante careers. Devon thought his time being Whisper would lead to him finding his parent's murderer, and Alexander promised to help him do so. A few months in, the two were known around Gotham and the rest of the world. Whisper and Bandit followed a drug marketing that had been transporting drugs to the Gotham Heights, for months and getting away with it due to the lower crime rate there. During their stealth attempt to take them down, Bandit endangered their mission which forced him out into the open, though against Whisper's wishes. Bandit was taken, hostage and restrained. After finding him, Whisper took down the thugs and untied Bandit. They continued moving and infiltrated the building where they were fired at with heavy artillery. Bandit was severely wounded at his upper chest. Whisper had used the little time they had left to take out the thugs, and finish the mission. He had taken Bandit to the hospital, but by the time they arrived, it had already been too late. It seemed everything in his life had been worsening. In his time paying close attention to Batman, Devon thought the best way to get Batman's attention was to pose as Robin. He spent time designing a costume, though it had the signature look of Robin but with a different color scheme. Eventually, Batman had recognized him and offered to train him as his fourth Robin though instead, he adopted another alias and called himself Cardinal and Batman guided him under his wing. and Soon after Alexander's passing, his handmaiden had passed as well. With the recent funerals of people in his life that were close to him, he had gone into a deep state of sadness and grief. He had only been thirteen and dealing with issues in his life that he never thought he would have to face while being so young. After their deaths, Bruce adopted Devon and revealed to him his identity of being Batman and lived in the Wayne Manor, along with Bruce, and Tim Drake and their butler Alfred Pennyworth. Devon had Bruce promise to help him find his parent's murderer and after only spending a few weeks searching for clues, Bruce eventually located and identified him. Later that night, Cardinal snook out of the Wayne Manor and went to find the murderer himself, intent on killing him. When he found him, the assassin admitted to the murder of his parents and stricken with anger Cardinal and he initiated a battle, which he lost due to his emotions getting in the way of his fight. Before the assassin could attempt to end Cardinal, Batman found and protected him, and with the quick swiftness of his martial skills, he defeated the assassin and later had him jailed which offered peace of mind to Devon, who promised not to do something so careless again. Eventually, he met Black Canary, who both her and Batman agreed he and her protege Banshee, who he hadn't known was her daughter at the time began working together. This helped him develop the skillset of being able to cooperate well with others. He and Banshee spent a couple of months learning from each other and fighting crime. Some time had passed and eventually, Banshee moved on to join her team and the two stopped fighting together. Bruce had him return to school and although he was behind, Bruce had made him study that much harder to get his grades up to achievement. Once he turned fifteen, he decided to join the Teen Titans with Red Robin and it was good for him, at least for a while. It didn't stick, and he remained at Batman's side for his use. He was unable to keep up with his after school activities, and he had eventually dropped his martial arts class to continue them at the Wayne Manor. He remained on top of his ballet classes, which helped improve his coordination, balance, and agility skills, and he continued practices in gymnastics as well. Cardinal created several ways of transportation, through his plane that he called Grosbeak, which like the Batplane had a fully-functioning crime lab, and magnesium flares encased inside of the cone. He also had a motorcycle, that he modified and called Piranga, and an automobile he called Habia, all of which were named after birds. It took him almost another year to complete the build of the Piranga. Eventually, he and Bruce forged a close bond and though Bruce wouldn't admit it, he has a soft spot for him just as Devon does for Bruce. After he turned eighteen, he spent his last year of high school focusing on the things he missed out on in his childhood, though it was mostly Bruce's idea. He received his first internship at The Armory which was his father's place of work when he was younger. Devon was working alongside several forensic anthropologists. He spent months focusing on this and traveled to Canada, and helped uncover the remains of a murder that was covered up. They found a headless corpse in the woods, and the victim's body not that far from the location. After returning to the lab he was dismissed, while the doctors had gathered as many clues and information as they could. He later returned to the lab that night to look over what they discovered and only then did he become Cardinal, to find the murderer and bring him to justice. A few months had passed, and his graduation neared on the day of his eighteenth birthday. A few weeks after, he accepted a large insurance settlement from his parent's death since he had been of age to receive it. Afterward at the Wayne Manor, he received a party that was planned by, Bruce, Barbara Gordon, and several other close friends. He applied for Gotham University, and while he awaited his acceptance he spent the rest of his months fighting crimes, working with Batman and even often the Justice League though under Batman's leadership. A year had passed, and Cardinal had started his first day in College. To manage his college life and personal life he had gotten a local job, as a yoga instructor and a life coach. He hadn't wanted to get sidetracked, though later that day he received a heads-up from Batman, on a local threat near Happy Harbor. He found it to be Parasite, who he had tracked and after Parasite located near Gotham he had helped put him down, alongside a few other superheroes, Aquos, Black Orchid, The Mind Specter, Green Lantern and Passage. Powers & Abilities Abilities * Athletic Strength * Athletic Speed * Athletic Body Condition * Athletic Durability * Athletic Stamina * Gymnastics': Growing up, he took gymnastics and still does. ** '''''Acrobatics ** Reflexes * Ballet': Devon spent several years of practice in ballet during his childhood, and well into his teenage years. ** '''''Agility ** Coordination ** Balance * Archery': He became partially skilled in archery, after first being introduced to a bow and arrow by Gwen Lance. * ''Aviation: Cardinal first learned to fly when using the Batmobile, and soon after through the creation of Grosbeak.'' * '''''Stealth * Tactical Analysis * Throwing * Graceful Dancer': Devon is a profound ballet dancer. * ''Seduction and Manipulation: Cardinal doesn't tend to rely on manipulation tactics unless he finds it necessary.'' * '''''Disguise * Computer Hacking ** Computer Operation * Driving': He first learned how to drive his automobile, Habia. * '''''Firearms * Gadgetry * Genius Level Intellect * Indomitable Will': Cardinal's will strength makes him able to function while tolerating massive amounts of physical pain. * '''''Intimidation * Investigation': Cardinal has few skills when it comes to forensic investigations and solving crime mysteries, such as when he helped discover and find human remains during his internship. He can use even the smallest clues and slightest details to solve extremely difficult cases and accurately deduce the identity of unknown criminal masterminds. * ''Lock Picking: This was a skill he learned, working alongside Batman.'' * ''Martial Arts: He took martial classes while he was younger, long before he began his life of crime-fighting and is a very skilled fighter. His survival has proven that, thanks to his fighting skills.'' ** '''''Capoeira ** Karate ** Aikido ** Kung Fu ** Judo ** Savate ** Stick Fighting ** Sword Fighting ** Jujitsu ** Dragon Style Kung Fu * ''Multilingualism: Cardinal is fluent in Latin, Chinese, French, and Hindi.'' Paraphernalia Equipment ''Utility Belt: In Cardinal's belt pouches it contains an infrared flashlight, smoke capsules, first aid kit, grappling gun, mini-explosives, and a small mobile device (Connected to the Batcomputer).'' ''Carbon Fiber Cape: Cardinal has a lightweight cape that opens up when it feels an electrical current allowing him to glide.'' ''Highly Durable Suit:' '''Cardinal's suit can withstand bullet's, cuts, small explosives, and high falls.